The present invention relates to refrigerator magnets, and more particularly, to nested magnetic picture frame pieces that collectively support an image thereon.
It is common practice to adorn the exterior of common household appliances such as refrigerators with photographs, drawings, and lists which are typically adhered to the appliance surface using magnets. Refrigerator magnets take on a variety of forms but typically have sufficient strength to hold themselves to the appliance as well as one or more pictures or drawings or the like. A problem perceived with the use of ordinary refrigerator magnets to secure objects to appliances is that the appliance has a sloppy appearance. Another problem is the high cost of each of the magnets necessary to secure objects to appliances.
Typically, a decorative refrigerator magnet has a magnetic element secured by glue to a back surface or within a recess of a plastic or wood handle. The handle can take on a variety of forms and may be carved or simple in its shape and may be painted, printed, and/or molded.
The prior patent literature in this field includes, but is not limited to, the following documents:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,506,215 discloses an adhesive-backed cardboard strips in overlapping, non-overlapping, and miter-corner arrangements. The strips are attached around the photo, with the photo itself comprising the back of the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,336 discloses a photo frame of fixed dimension, with the photo held between cooperating magnetic and metallic elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,562 discloses a magnetic frame which may have a fixed periphery and which has independently positionable corners (FIG. 4) or sliding sides (FIG. 5). The frame itself may be made of magnetic material or may have magnets attached to a plastic or wood frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,282 discloses a magnetic frame and transparent cover for mounting a calendar to a refrigerator. The frame defines a fixed space for the calendar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,864 discloses a magnetic picture frame for a refrigerator comprises plastic tubing with mitered corners, joined together by L-shaped elements. The L-shaped elements may include magnets for holding the frame to the refrigerator, or a strip of magnets can line the rear surface of the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,834 discloses a magnetically supported frame for picture cards. The frame has a series of magnets adhered to crossbars, and molded projection to engage the edges of the picture cards.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,303,489 and 5,261,174, disclose a flexible frame for use on a refrigerator. The frame is formed from a single sheet of magnetic material and having a rectangular opening for viewing a picture. The frame can have an imprinted, decorative appearance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,351 discloses a greeting card with magnetic picture frame which may include decorative painting or embossing 27. The frame has a defined size which corresponds to the size of the greeting card.
What is needed in the art and heretofore has not been available is an improved refrigerator magnet configuration which can frame drawings and pictures and the like in a variety of sizes. What is further needed in the art and has heretofore not been available is a sheet of magnetic material which itself is adorned with an image. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.
In accordance with the invention, pieces taken from a single sheet of magnetic material can be used to frame any standard size picture or paper, either fully or partially. In addition, multiple pictures or papers can be framed with the pieces from a single diced sheet. This is accomplished, in accordance with the present invention, through a set of nested magnetic frames elements obtained from a single, planar sheet. Importantly, the invention is extremely cost effective because there is minimal, if any, waste when die-cutting magnetic sheets.
The magnetic frame includes, in one aspect of the invention, a sheet of magnetic material which is diced into a plurality of linear frame elements. The sheet has an image supported thereon which spans the plural frame elements. A portion of the image can be selectively removed from the sheet to secure the picture, paper or other thin object to a ferromagnetic surface.
In another aspect of the invention, a set of magnetic frames for framing a picture, paper, or other thin object comprises a sheet of magnetic material having a printed background in at least one color supported thereon (e.g., black, white, etc.). The sheet is diced into a plurality of linear frame elements and the printed background spans the plural frame elements. Portions of the printed background are selectively removable from the sheet to secure the picture, paper or other thin object to a ferromagnetic surface.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, a method is provided for framing a picture, paper or other thin object to a ferromagnetic surface. The method according to this aspect of the invention includes three primary steps. First, a sheet of magnetic material having an image supported on one side thereof and which has been diced into a plurality of frame elements is provided to a user. Next, the user separates preselected a frame element from the sheet. Finally, a picture, paper, or other thin object is secured to the ferromagnetic surface using the preselected frame element.
In further respects, the invention includes a method for making a set of magnetic frames in which the image is provided by the customer for inclusion in a custom nested magnetic picture frame product. In this method, a customer provides a photograph or other item which is then applied to a sheet of magnetic material. The sheet is diced, with the photograph or item mounted in place, to define a plurality of frame elements. A tie layer is then applied to the diced frame elements so that the original composition of the photograph or item is maintained during transportation and display of the picture frame.
Further features and aspects of the invention can be appreciated from the accompanying drawing figures and following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.
Definitions
The term xe2x80x9cstandard sizexe2x80x9d refers to any widely available size for an uncropped printed photograph or commercially available stock paper, including, but not limited to: 2xe2x80x3xc3x972xe2x80x3, 2xe2x80x3xc3x973xe2x80x3, 3.5xe2x80x3xc3x973.5xe2x80x3, 3.5xe2x80x3xc3x975xe2x80x3, 4xe2x80x3xc3x976xe2x80x3, 5xe2x80x3xc3x977xe2x80x3, 8xe2x80x3xc3x9710xe2x80x3, 8.5xe2x80x3xc3x9711xe2x80x3, 9xe2x80x3xc3x9712xe2x80x3, and 11xe2x80x3xc3x9714xe2x80x3.
The term xe2x80x9cimagexe2x80x9d refers to a two-dimensional printed representation of a subject such as an object, person or people, scenery, place, abstract art, reproductions of masterpieces, or a combination of these. The image preferably has the appearance of a painting, drawing or photograph.
The term xe2x80x9citemxe2x80x9d refers to a two-dimensional photograph, drawing, sketch, painting, finger painting, poem, map, list, or the like.